The legend of the Adachi Plain demon hag. It's a scary ghost story with a tragic human drama! [Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture]

There is a legend that in Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, there was a demon hag who attacked travelers

This is a nationally famous story, andKabuki and Bunraku plays under the name "Oshu Adachigahara,"it has been adapted intoNoh plays under the name "Kurozuka."into

• Link:Kabuki Terminology Guide – The World of the Oshu Campaign
• Link:thenoh.com – Kurozuka

This time, I delved into the legend of the demon hag of Adachigahara (Kurozuka) and went to the site to look for traces of it

The legend of the demon hag of Adachihara (Kurozuka)

There seem to be several versions of the legend with slight differences in the details, but the story passed down at Kanzeji Temple in Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, goes as follows:

The legend of the demon hag of Adachihara (Kurozuka)

who worked as a wet nurse in a certain mansion in KyotoIwatethere was an old woman named

The princess of the mansion, whom Iwate had lovingly raised, could not speak no matter how much she grew, and doctors could not cure her. So he consulted a fortune teller, whoshe would be cured if he made her drink the liver of a baby still in a pregnant woman's wombtold him that

So Iwateleft Kyoto and traveled to Oshu in order to obtain a living liver.When he arrived on the banks of the Abukuma River, he found a rocky cave that was just right to shelter from the rain and wind and settled there.

One late autumn evening,, IkomanosukeandKoiginu,come to visit.

The couple was having trouble finding a place to stay, and the wife was very pregnant. Iwate saw this as an opportunity and decided to let them stay

That night, Koigoromo suddenly went into labor and complained of abdominal pain, and in a panic, Ikomanosuke rushed out to look for medicine, while Iwate took the opportunity to cut Koigoromo's stomach open with a kitchen knife

On her deathbed, Koishe was searching for her mother, from whom she had been separated in Kyoto,told Iwate that

When Iwate examines Koi's belongings, he finds a small amulet pouch. He opens it and is shocked.The Koi he had just killed was his long-lost daughter.Having killed his daughter and granddaughter with his own hands, Iwate is driven mad with grief and anguish and transforms into a demon.

After that, Iwate began to live a life of robbing travelers of their money and valuables, killing them, drinking their blood, and eating their fleshshe was the "Ogre Hag of Adachigahara (Kurozuka)." However, because this happened in Oshu, far from the capital, no one reprimanded her.

from Kumano in KishuTokobo Yukeivisited Adachigahara and sought lodging for the night in Iwate.

It was a cold night, so Iwate left the house to get firewood. Henot to open the door to the room at the backmade sure to remind Yukei

Yukei agreed to Iwate's request, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked into the room. There, hefound a pile of blood-stained corpses and decaying human bones.this old woman was the rumored"Ogre Hag of Adachigahara (Kurozuka)," Yukei panicked and rushed out of the house without properly getting ready. However, Iwate returned and, understanding the situation, chased after Yukei.

Having been caught up, Yukie finds himself facing off against Iwate

Having made up his mind, YukeiNyoirin Kannon. Suddenly, the statue rose into the sky, emitted a light, and then, nocking an arrow to a white bow of exorcism, vanquished the wicked hag.

Reference: Mayumiyama Kanzeji Temple "Outline of the Oshu Adachigahara (Kurozuka) Legend" and others

Iwate killed his own daughter and granddaughter with his own hands. It's understandable that he would go mad

However, considering that he already intended to kill someone when he arrived at Adachigahara, perhaps he was a little twisted from the start..

I always thought the Onibaba was just a terrifying monster, but I had no idea there was such a sad story behind it... In the end, it's a story about how humans are the truly frightening ones, not monsters... In terms of genre,a "human-centered horror story."it's

The place associated with the Onibaba legend

In present-day Adachigahara,the legend of the ogre hag was truethere are several historical sites that support the idea that

Mayumizan Kanzeji Temple

The cave where the ogre hag is said to have lived still remains, and currently,Kanzejistands on the site, including the cave.

This is a historic temple that has been in operation since the Nara period, and in the Edo period, Matsuo Basho visited the temple to pray while on his journey through the Narrow Road to the Deep North, and in the Meiji period, Masaoka Shiki visited the temple

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ①] The journey through Tohoku begins at the Shirakawa Barrier

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/25118

In the Edo period, before airplanes, bullet trains, or automobiles, traveling on foot was the norm, a life-threatening endeavor fraught with great hardships. (Basho) Matsuo Basho not only traveled around Tohoku on foot during this time, but also left his travelogue, along with haiku, for future generations. His work is so highly regarded that it is still included in school textbooks today, and you've likely come across his famous preface and haiku. In this seven-article series, we trace Basho's footsteps in Tohoku, introducing the current state of the places he visited and the haiku he wrote about in "Oku no Hosomichi." The Narrow Road to the Deep North and...

read more

Kanzeji Temple's Treasure Museum displays many historical documents related to the Onibaba

Among the"the ogre hag's knife,"andthe jar that held her liver,"""the hoe used to dig the hole when burying the ogre hag."exhibits are items such as

in legend,Tokobo Yukeiwas sought byNyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva, who,hall enshrines

The cave is said to be where the demon hag lived. It certainly protects from the wind and rain and may be a good place for people to live. The large rocks give off a strange sense of power..

Within the grounds of Kanzeji Temple,the "Oniba Stone Statue,"Matsuo Basho is said to have sat and rested, andthe "Basho Resting Stone" wherethe"Deba Washing Pond."there are many other sights to see,

Kanzeji Temple <Information>

• Name: Tendai Sect Mayumizan Kanzeji Temple
• Address: 4-126 Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, 964-0938
• Phone number: 0243-22-0797
• Official URL:Kanzeji Temple Official Website

Google Map

Kurozuka

KurozukaisTokobo Yukeiwho was vanquished by the power ofthe burial site of a demon hag. It's only a 2-3 minute walk from Kanzeji Temple, so it's a place you should definitely see if you're in the area!

As soon as you leave Kanzeji Temple, you will see a guide sign right in front of you

As soon as you climb the bank of the Abukuma River, you will see a lone cedar tree looking down on the riverbank. At the base of this cedar is a black mound

The Kurozuka stone monument. The fact that he is buried so close to the cave where he is said to have lived gives the legend a sense of reality

Kurozuka <Information>

• Name: Kurozuka
• Address: 4 Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, 964-0938
• URL:Nihonmatsu City Tourism Association Website

Google Map

You can also purchase Onibaba merchandise at Adachihara Furusato Village!

The area around Kanzeji Temple"Adachigahara Furusato Village." It's a facility that combines a roadside station, a kids' park, and a regular park, and you'll likely use the parking lot there when sightseeing in the area.

The park features relocated traditional houses, samurai residences, and tea rooms, and among them,the Rural Life Hall, a two-story mansion of a wealthy farmer,is particularly impressive in its sheer size.

In autumn,more than 200,000 red spider lilies (also known as red spider lilies)bloomLily Festivalis held, where

on the premisesthe Adachigahara Furusato-kan, you can enjoy choosing delicious local vegetables, processed foods, sweets, and souvenirs.Oni-baba (demon hag)merchandise is also available.Bappy-chan, based on the Oni-baba.

Adachigahara Furusato Village <Information>

• Name: Adachigahara Hometown Village
• Address: 100 Adachigahara 4-chome, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, 964-0938
• Phone number: 0243-22-7474
• URL:Adachigahara Furusato Village Website

Google Map

summary

In this article, we introduced the legend of the demon hag that is passed down in Adachi Plain, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

I was quite surprised to find so many traces remaining of the legend of the ogre hag, which I had always thought of as just a fairy tale. Before visiting,"just a fairy tale,"but after seeing everything,"a true, terrifying ghost story."my perception changed to

Considering that the story has been passed down through the generations since ancient times and was known nationwide to the extent that Matsuo Basho visited during the Edo period and Masaoka Shiki during the Meiji period, does this seem credible?

This is a spot you should definitely stop by when you visit Nihonmatsu

Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs